Floating Head

One of Sculpture Placement Group's main objectives is to extend the life of sculptures. Through active research we look at patterns in the arts, and pilot new models for sustainability. What was interesting for us was the way that public artworks are commissioned and managed. This interest led us to work with Floating Head, a sculpture by Richard Groom. Alongside the artist's estate, we have worked with different stakeholders to find ways to get the sculpture out of storage and back floating again. The artwork was originally commissioned for Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988, it was built alongside shipbuilders from the Govan Docks. The sculpture is uniquely interesting in its representation of the cultural memory of Glasgow and the industries and labour the city is so proud of. It's also the product of an artist who spent the latter half of his life working preserving some of Scotland's most loved heritage sites.